Mounting structure and extension tracks for mechanical units



Feb. 14, 1950 l.. w. MELCHER MOUNTING STRUCTURE AND EXTENSION TRACK FOR MECHANICAL UNITS '7 Sheets-Sheet l Filed June 2, 1947 Feb. l14, 195o L. w. MELCHER 2,497,785 MOUNTING STRUCTURE AND EXTENSION TRACK FCR MECHANICAL UNITS Filed June 2, 1947 'r sheets-sheet 2 lfg Feb. 14, 1950 w. MELcHr-:R

MOUNTING STRUCTURE AND EXTENSION TRACK FOR MECHANICAL UNITS '7 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed June 2, 1947 Feb. 14, 1950 L.. w. MELCHER MOUNTING STRUCTURE AND EXTENSION TRACK FOR MECHANICAL UNITS '7 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed June 2, 1947 .N hun Feb. 14, 1950 L. W. MELcHr-:R 2,497,785

MOUNTING STRUCTURE AND EXTENSION TRACK FOR MECHANICAL UNITS Filed June 2, 1947 Sheets-Sheet 5 Feb. 14, 1950 1 .w. MELCHER MOUNTING STRUCTURE AND EXTENSION TRACK FOR MECHANICAL UNITS 7 Sheets-Sheet 6 Filed June 2, 194'? K Z766 WeZcZe/j W24/ww@ d@ 0 W6 W 5 m w f7@ 7, UC 9 m 5 67. 4 j m U 2 0 7% .m ,Q/ Q J 7 m m Q WW J/ f 2 e mm y W Hmm Q 6 L DA l! NC Mm y Emw W i//\\\ E Mw@ m l l@ 1 www m LSF lblll v. l U W m M w 0 w 5 w M m A m 1 J d f n Patented Feb. 14, 19750 UNITED MOUNTING STRUCTURE AND EXTENSION TRACKS FOR MECHANICAL UNITS Lee W. Melcher, Oconomowoc, Wis., assgnor to Waukesha Motor Company, Waukesha, Wis.

Application June 2, 1947, Serial No. 751,871

8 Claims.

l This invention involves an improved means for mounting heavy mechanical and electro- 'mechanical units which must be moved from time to time out of their normal operating locations to more accessible positions in order to facilitate periodic inspections, maintenance operations and repairs. More specifically, the invention is concerned with improved means for mounting underneath the bodies of railway cars such equipment as engine-driven generator units and engine-driven refrigeration or air-conditioning units, and also improved means whereby such units can quickly and easily be moved out from underneath the cars to more accessible exterior positions, so that they can be serviced convenliently and efficiently and just as quickly and easily be moved back to their normal operating positions.

The primary object islto expedite the servicing of units such as those heretofore mentioned or of any type of equipment which requires servicing from time to time and is normally so positioned that it cannot conveniently be serviced without moving it to a different and more accessible position.

A further object is to provide means of the above-indicated character which does not require the services of a skilled mechanic in order .to`

carry out ordinary maintenance operations such as inspections, oiling of machinery, etc.

Still another object is to provide means of the aforementioned type which does not entail any need for mechanical load-handling equipment other than certain extension tracks which form integral parts of the present mounting and, when not in actual use, are stowed underneath the car body where they are readily accessible and always at hand.

An additional object is to provide a mounting wherein a mechanical unit which is normally disposed underneath the bodyy of a railway car is mounted through the medium of rollers on a pair of tracks which are suspended from the` car frame and includes a pair of novel track extensions.

The invention is employed not only for carrying out ordinary maintenance and repair operations but also, when it becomes necessary, to removea unit and replace it with another, as when needed repairs would otherwise involve keeping a car out of service beyond the time allotted for overall servicing between train arrivals at terminal stations and subsequent scheduled departures.

The subiect invention is exemplified in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

. engine-driven electric generator.

Athe machine or machines within the unit is im- Fig.'1 is a perspective view illustrating how the invention is employed to mount a mechanical or electro-mechanical unit underneath the body of a railway car, the extension tracks being shown in position to receive the unit when it is rolled out from underneath the car;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view similar to Fig. v1 but from a different point of observation, showing the unit supported upon the extension tracks in position for servicing;

Fig. 3 is a side elevational view, partly in sec'- tion, showing the unit in its normal position underneath the car body and illustrating the manner of mounting and securing the extension tracks when they are not in use;

Fig. 4 is a side elevational view, partly in section, showing one of the extension tracks in its operative position, and also showing the unit supported upon the extension tracks;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary front elevational view of one half of the mounting structure, the associated extension track being shown stowed in its normal or passive position which it occupies when the car is in transit;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 6 6 of Fig. 3, showing details of construction of one of the two ro11ler-equipped trucks bymeansv of which the mechanical unit is movably mounted on the mounting tracks;

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary iront elevational view like Fig. 5, except that the extension track is shown inv its operative position after having been withdrawn from its normal or passive position;

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of one of the two main supporting brackets;

Fig. 9 is an enlarged fragmentary side elevational viewv of one of the latch mechanisms which serve releasablyv to lock the unit in lplace underheath the car; and

Fig. 10 isr a sectional view taken on the line Ill-l0 of Fig. 9.

The unit l0 is a generally rectangular boxlike steel housing within which is contained a machine. or combination of machines such, for example, as an engine-driven compressor or an The nature of material to the subject invention, except that it ordinarily is such that there is necessity of obtaining access to the same from time to time for oiling or inspection or other servicing operations which can most readily be performed with the unit moved out from underneath the car to a position such as that in which it is depicted in l Figs. 2 and 4,

`| to the rubber bushings 22.

f 10. Each latch mechanism 4| comprises a strike flector surface 44. The outer end of each strike In Figs. 1 and 2 the car body is shown fragmentarily in dot-dash outline and is identiiied generally by reference numeral II'.

The unit I0 normally is positioned underneath the car body as shown in Figs. l and 3, and may be concealed from view by a door I2 (see Fig. 3) forming a part of the skirt commonly employed on modern railway cars.

Attached to opposite ends of the unit I0 are two trucks I3, each including a pair of wheels or rollers I4 and I5. The latter are journaled on axles |6 and I1 which are secured at their ends to laterally spaced bars I8 and I9, between which the wheels or rollers I4 and I5 are disposed. Bridged between and welded to the bars I8 and 15 I9 of the trucks are plates 20 which are drilled vertically to receive pairs of flanged metal sleeves 2 I, in each of which is secured by cement or vulcanization a resilient rubber bushing 22, inner sleeves 23 which have heads 23a at their upper 20 ends and serve to transmit the weight of the unit Vertical bolts 24 are threaded at their upper ends into bars 25 -which are secured between the upper legs 26a and the lower legs 26h of mounting brackets 26 25 which are welded or otherwise secured to the ends of the unit I6. The two trucks I3 are subvstantially identical and the weight of the unit I0 is divided therebetween and transmitted thereto.A by the two brackets 26. Obviously, any appro- 30 priate number of rubber bushings 22 may be provided in conformity with the magnitude of the load; and these may be apportioned between the two trucks in accordance with the respective loads carried thereby.

The wheels or rollers I4 and I5 of each truck normally rest'l upon the tubular lower rail of a `the clearance is quite small so that the wheels cannot bounce off the lower rails to any substantial extent.

The inner ends of the upper and lower rails"" 30 and 3| are welded to a plate 32 (see Fig. 3) 50 which, in turn, is welded or otherwise secured to a main girder 33 in the form of an I beam.

The outer ends of the rails 30 and 3| are welded to brackets which embody supporting top plates 34a. The latter are bolted to the under 55 side of the side sill of the car, as most clearly shown in Fig. 3. The brackets 34 also embody vertically extending ilanges 34h having openings 35 and 36, the purpose of which will be described hereafter.

Normally, the unit I0 is positioned underneath the car, as shown in Fig. 3, with each rear wheel I5 in contact with a bumper 40 consisting of two complementary castings bolted together in clamp# ing engagement with the upper and lower rails 65y 30 and 3|. The unit is releasably locked in place by a pair of manually operable latch mechanism 4|, one of which is shown in detail in Figs. 9 and.

plate 42 which is welded to the outer surfaces of 70 the adjacent bar I8, is notched at 42a to form a shoulder 43, and is provided with a sloping deplate 42 provides a second shoulder at 45. Each"vz latch mechanism further comprises a cast metal 75 4 bracket 46 which is bolted to the flange 34h of the adjacent bracket 34. Each bracket 46 is bored to form a socket 4'I (see Fig. 10) in which is slidably mounted a latch bolt 48 having a shank -49 slidably journaled in a bronze bushing 5U and threaded at the end 5| to engage a yoke 52 which is pivotally connected at 53 to one arm of an operating lever 54, the latter being fulcrumed at 55 between a pair of arms 56 which are integral parts of the bracket 46. Each lever 54 is provided at its outer end with a handle 5l. Coil springs 58 in sockets 41 press outwardly against the latch bolts 48 and normally hold the same in the extended position wherein the latch bolts confront the shoulders 45 and thus function to latch the unit I0 in place. The shoulders 43 are put to use only in event of inadvertent failure to push the unit all the way back against bumpers 40. As is usual with spring latches of this type, the latch bolts 48 are provided with sloping cam surfaces 48a which are adapted to ride on the sloping surfaces 44 of the strike plates 42, whereby to depress the latch bolts against the pressure of the springs 58 when the unit is rolled back into its normal position, as shown in Figs. l and 3, from its outward position wherein it is shown in Fig. 4. As the unit is rolled into place, the latch bolts drop rst into the notches 42a, but are promptly retracted by the action thereon of the sloping surfaces 42h, and immediately afterward move into their iinal vlatching position, as shown in Fig. 10. To withdraw the unit I0 from its normal position, it is necessary first to retract the two latch bolts 48 by means of the levers 54. The latter may be released as soon as the unit has been moved outwardly a sufiicient extent to avoid engagement of the latch bolts with the shoulders 43.

As a preliminary to rolling the unit to the outward position in `which it is shown in Fig. 2, it is necessary to couple to the iixed mounting tracks comprising rails 30 and 3| two extension tracks 60, each of which consists principally of a length of steel tubing which is bent into U-shape and comprises a lower rail 6I (see Fig. 4). The lower rails 6| are shaped to form continuations of fixed lower rails 3U and the upper rails 62 are shaped to form continuations of the fixed rails 3|.

Telescoped into and welded to the free end of each upper rail 62 (see Fig. 4) and projecting outwardly therefrom is a short length of tubing 63, the outside diameter of which is such that it lits closely but slidably within the bore of the adjacent upper rail 3|; and each lower rail 6| is similarly provided with a short length of tubing 64 which is adapted to fit slidably within the bore of the adjacent lower rail 3U. Thus the upper and lower rails of the extension tracks are held in perfect alignment with the upper and lower rails, respectively, of the fixed tracks, thereby enabling the unit I0 to be rolled out from underneath the car and back again without encountering any irregularity on the tracks such as might tend to obstruct free movement of the unit.

When in use, each extension track is firmly anchored to its xed track (see Fig. 4) by means of a long tie bolt 65 which extends axially through -the bore of the upper rail 62 and through the bore of a tube v63 and makes threaded engagement with a nut 66 secured within the bore of upper rail 3|, as by welding thereto. The outer vends of tie bolts 65 are provided with knobs 61 by means of lwhich the tie bolts can be turned manually to eiect engagement and disengage- 4bracket 3d.

ymountings.

that the extension tracks are disposed in the. paths yof movement of their associated latch- 'ment thereof with the nuts 66. It will be'apparent that the weight of unit 'I- on the extension track puts the tie bolts `65 under tension'and the lower rails 6I under len-gthwise compression;

and it will be further apparent that the design g of `the extension tracks land manner of anchoring the same makes `for a very strong and rigid "cantilever construction which is well adapted 5to support the load to whichit is subjected.

Except when the extension Itracks are *in actual use, they are stowed underneath the car, as shown in Fig. 3, at either end of the unit I0. The

two rails of each extension track are passed, re-

spectively, through openings 435 and 36 in the The two extension tracks are turned upside down-compare Fig. 3 with Fig. li-so as toprovide more clearance around knobs 61. 'The tie vbolts 65 are threaded into the hubs lof brackets 68 which are `welded to the inner ends of'the lower rails 3U and project laterally therefrom. The brackets 68, vin addition to being internally threaded to receive the tie bolts, are bored'to'receive'th'e projecting ends of the tubes 63, as mos 1f clearly shown in Fig. 3.

Whenever it is desired to obtain access tojthe unit i0, the service man withdraws the two extension tracks fromtheir carrying brackets and attaches them to the ends of the iixed tracks and then, after releasing the twolatch mechanisms, rolls the unit to the outside position in which it is shown inFigs. 2 and 4. When the servicing voperation'has been'completed, the yoperatorrolls the unit back to its normal position, where it is*` secured bythe Atwo latch mechanisms, and vthen `proceeds to detach the extension tracks and return them to their carrying brackets.

A feature of :importance consists in the arrangement, best indicated in Figs. 9 and`10, by virtue of which it is impossible vto unlatch and thus release the unit until the two extension tracks have been withdrawn from their normal This condition results from the vfact releasing'levers 54 and handles 5l, and will not permit roi sufficient movement of those'levers to bringabout withdrawal of latch bolts 48. Itthe vabsence of such an arrangement it would be necessaryto padlock the latch mechanisms to prevent operation thereof'by unauthorized persons.

By reason of the fact that `the rails 30 and 6l are of circular cross-section, there is little opportunity for dirt andice to accumulate thereon :to

such an extent as substantially to interfere with free vmovement of the trucks therealong.

It is, ofcourse, within the purview of this invention to'use rails of any suitable cross-sectional conguration-not necessarily 'tubular-but, onvv the contrary, `the use of tubular rails works to great advantage, particularly as respects economy and enicient mechanical design.

While there has been illustrated and described only that embodiment of the invention which `is presently considered to be the preferred form, it will be recognizedthat there are many possible modifications and alternatives within the `scope o'f :the invention, and it is not desired that thein- -vention be regarded as limited `save as indicated by the terms of the appended claims.

What is claimed is; 1. ,lnvcombinatiom a pair oflaterally spaced,

horizontal, parallel, fixed tracks supported vin .-fsuspension from the underside `of a car body Aand The `brackets '3'4 `function ras supportsiorthe outer ends of the extension tracks.

fio

extending crosswise of the car, a -mobile unit Ahaving Arollers resting normallyonfsaidtracks and ladapted to be rolledalong said tracks while ybeing supported thereby, said unit being normally positioned underneath the car, latch mechanism operative releasably to'lock said unit in its normal position on said iixed tracks, -a pair of cantilever Vextension tracks adapted to be detachably connected, end-to-end, 'to said iixed tracks, individually, t0 form temporary continuations of said iixedV tracks, the arrangement being such as will enable .the mobile unit to be rolled along said track from its normal position underneath the carto a temporary position on said extension tracks out from underneath the car, and means vfor supporting said extension tracks underneath the car when the same are not in use.

2. In combination, 'a pair of laterally space d, horizontal, parallel, lfixed tracks ysupported in suspension from the under side of acar body and extending crosswise of the car, each of said fixed tracks comprising a lower rail and an upper rail, means for holding said upper and lower rails of each Xed track in vertically spaced parallel relation, a mobile unit disposed between said tracks and having twopairs of supporting wheels located at its ends, each pair of wheels resting normally on one of said lower rails, said upper vrails being close enough to the'tops of said wheels to prevent said wheels from being materially vertically .displaced with respect to the lower rails, a pair oi extension tracks each comprising a lower rail and an upper rail in vertically spaced parallel relation, each `of said extension vtracks being adapted `to'be coupled, end-to-end'to one of said xed tracks so as to providean extension of the fixed lower-rail and an extension of the iixed upper rail, saidextensions when in use projecting laterally beyond the car body whereby said unit may be rolled outfrom underneath vthe car body into an accessible position for servicing, the 'outer ends of the upper and lower rails of each extension track `being connectedtogether so that they co-operate to support the weight of said unit.

3. In combination, a'pair of laterally spaced,

"horizontal, parallel, fixed tracks 'supported in suspension from the underside of a car body and y`extending crosswise of the car, each of said fixed tracks comprising a tubular lower rail and a tubular upper rail, means forholding said upper .and lower rails of each fixed track in vertically spaced parallel relation, a mobile unit disposed normally between said tracks underneath the car and having two vpairs of supporting wheels 'located `at its ends, each pair of 'wheels resting normally on one of said lower rails, a pair of extension tracks each comprising atubular lower ,60`

rail and a tubular' upper rail in vertically spaced parallel relation, the lower rail of each extension `-track being adapted to be telescopically coupled, detachably and in end-to-end relation, to the -lower rail of one of said xed tracks,'the upper rail `of each extension track being adapted to be Asimilarly coupled to the-upper rail of its associated xedtrack, the upper and lower rails of each extension track being connected together at the 'ends'thereof remote from the iixed tracks, and

a pair oftie-bolts yeach extending `axially and `individually through the upper rail of one of :said extension tracks, said tie-bolts being operative detachably to couple the upper rails of the extension tracks `to the upper rails of the iixed tracks, ythe yarrangement being such `that said unit can be rolled out from underneath the car 'body along and on said xed tracks and onto said extension tracks to an accessible position beyond the car body.

4. In combination, a pair of laterally spaced, horizontal, parallel, fixed tracks supported in `suspension from the under side of a car body underneath the car and having two supporting trucks located at opposite ends of the unit, each truck having a pair of wheels resting on the lower l rail oi one of said iixed tracks and rollable thereon, a pair of extension tracks, each consisting of a length of tubing bent to form laterally spaced parallel upper and lower extension rails, each of Ysaid extension tracks being adapted to be detach- .ably coupled in end-to-end relation to one of said fixed tracks, individually, with the lower extension rail forming continuations of the lower fixed rail and the upper extension rail forming a continuation of the upper fixed rail, and a pair A,of tie-bolts each extending axially through the upper rail of one of said extension tracks and threaded at one end to effect detachable anchoring engagement with the upper rail of the associated fixed track, each of said brackets having a pair of apertures for receiving, respectively, the upper and lower rails of one of said extension tracks whereby to support said extension tracks .underneath the car when the extension tracks are not in use, and an additional pair of brackets, each supported by one of said fixed tracks, each of said additional brackets having a socket for reception-of one end of the upper rail of one of said extension tracks, said additional brackets each being internally threaded to engage the threaded end of one of said tie-bolts whereby said tie-bolts are effective to secure the extension tracks to said additional brackets.

5. ln combination, an overhead supportingA structure, a horizontal fixed rail disposed underneath and supported by said structure, a U- shaped extension track comprising two vertically spaced parallel rails and a return bend interconnecting said rails at one end of each, the lower rail oi said extension track being adapted to be detachably coupled, end-to-end, to said fixed rail "h eby to form a temporary continuation of said rail, which continuation extends out .the lower rail of said extension track being adapted to be detachably interconnected, telescopicaily, end-to-end, with said fixed rail to form a temporary continuation thereof which extends out from underneath said supporting structure, and a tie-bolt extending axially through the upper rail of said extension track, said tie-bolt being operative detachably to anchor said upper rail -to said supporting structure.

7. The combination with a railway car having ;a body structure, of a fixed mounting track disierneath said supporting structure, and

posed underneath said body structure and suspended therefrom, said fixed mounting track -comprising a horizontal, tubular lower rail and a horizontal, tubular upper rail, said rails being parallel and vertically spaced and extending transversely of the car body, a bracket suspended from said body structure and constituting a support for the outer ends of said rails, a tubular U-shapedextension track comprising a horizontal, tubular lower rail, a horizontal, tubular upy per rail and a tubular return bend interconnecting the last-mentioned upper and lower rails at one end of the extension track, the upper and lower rails of said extension track being parallel and vertically spaced so as to register, end-toend, with the upper and lower rails, respectively, of said fixed track, a tie-bolt extending axially through the upper rail of said extension track and threaded at one end to effect detachable anchoring engagement with the upper rail of the xed track, the two aforementioned lower rails being adapted to be detachably coupled, end-toend, so as to form a continuous rail along which a roller-equipped unit normally mounted on the lower rail of the fixed track and normally supported thereby underneath the car can be rolled out from underneath the car and thereafter rolled back to its normal position, and means including said bracket for supporting said extension track underneath the car body when the extension track is not in use, said means also including an internally threaded member for engaging the threaded end of said tie-bolt for securing the extension track in its normal position underneath the car body.

8. The combination with a railway car having a body structure, of fixed horizontal mounting rail disposed underneath said body structure and suspended therefrom and extending transversely thereof, said rail beine effective to receive and support a roller equipped unit mounted underneath the car body, said unit being adapted to be rolled along said rail transversely of the car body, a manually releasable latch associated with said rail and normally operative to restrain said unit against outward movement along said rail, whereby to secure said unit in place beneath the car body, an extension rail adapted to be rigidly coupled, end-to-end, to said xed rail at the outer end of the latter and onto which said unit can be rolled out from underneath the car body, and means for securing said extension rail, when not in use, in a predetermined carrying position underneath the car body, said extension rail being so disposed when thus secured that it functions as an obstruction against releasing movement of said latch mechanism, the arrangement being such that said latch mechanism cannot be actuated to release said unit while said extension rail remains in its normal carrying position underneath the car body.

LEE W. MELCHER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,541,539 Webb June 9, 1925 1,622,574 Deady Mar. 29, 1927 1,764,354 Schellentroger et al. June 17, 1930 1,810,718 Lord June 16, 1931 2,099,747 Melcher Nov. 23, 1937 2,181,406 Madden Nov. 28, 1939 2,295,405 Johnson et al Sept. 8, 1942 

